Improvement in apparatus for generating and burning gas from naphtha



UNITED STATES PATENT OEETcE.

DAVID H. LOWE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND BURNING GAS FROM NAPHTHA,&c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 87,272, dated February23, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID II. LOWE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements inApparatus for Generating and Burning Gas from Naphtha, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadtothe accompanying drawings.` making part of this specification, inwhich Figures l and 2 are perspective views of my improvement detached.Figs. 3 and 4 are central longitudinal sections, showing the applicationof my improvement to the inverted burner of an apparatus for generatingand burning gas from naphtha.V Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of myimprovement slightly modified, and the screw-cap by which it isoperated. Fig. 7 is a central vertical section, representing mymodification as applied to the reservoir of an apparatus for generatingand burning gas from naphtha.

The ordinary valve stop-cock employed in the construction of lapparatusvfor generating and burning gas from naphtha is objectionable for thefollowing reasons: The stop requires a packing to prevent leakage of theuid naphtha, and a careless operator will frequently turn back andunscrew the stem or spindle so far as to cut and injure .the packing;and, furthermore, the-position of the stop-cock relative to the burneris such that it cannot instantly control and cut off the iiow of the gasthereto when the flame is to be extinguished, and a disagreeable smokeis thereby produced, which continues until the supply of heated gas inthe pipe between the stop-cock and burner is exhausted.

To remedy the abovementioned difficulties is the object of my invention,which consists in a spindle provided with a conical or othersuitably-formed end passing through the short portion of thegenerating-pipe beyond or outside the burner, the spindle being screwedinto the pipe by hand or otherwise in a convenient and expeditiousmanner, so as to cause its inner end to be snugly brought over andtightly close the passage in the burner, by which construction I amenabled instantly to cut oft' the supply of gas thereto and extinguishthe ame without the possibility of any smoke arising therefrom, theaforesaid spindle, with slight modification, also being employed, inconnection with the reservoir, for instantly cutting off the supply ofliquid naphtha to the pipes in which the gas is to be generated.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention,I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carriedv it out.

In the said drawings, A represents the reservoir for containing theliquid naphtha to be supplied to the pipes proceeding from its bottomand to be converted into gas.

Passing vertically down through the center of the reservoir is a stem orspindle, a, the lower end, b, of which is of a tapering or con; icalform, which is made to snugly fit a'valveseat, c, formed in the interiorofthe bottom of the reservoir, and tightly close the passage d, throughwhich the liquid naphtha flows to the pipe screwed into its under side.The extreme upper end, e, of this stem or spindle is of a square orrectangular shape in cross-section, in order that a screw-nut, B, .theinterior of which is of corresponding form, may be applied thereto toturn the spindle a up or down t0 open or close .the passage d in thebottom of the reservoi-r, the upper end of the latterA being providedwith a screw-thread, g, for the reception of the thread on the screw-nutB.

A portion of the spindle near the center Vof its length is provided witha screw-thread, h, which turns in a corresponding screw-thread cutwithin the interior of a cross-bar, C, which allows of the spindle beingturned up or down, and also serves as a guide to keep the spindle in itsvertical position while being operated.

The screw-thread h on the spindle and that on the nut B are carefullycut at the same pitch, in order that the same degree of motion may beimparted to both.

I intend to make the cross-bar C, which ex tends across the reservoir,and the seat c in its bottom, in one and the same piece, or in twopieces, united together by braces, instead of securing the ends ofthecross-bar to the inside of the reservoir; for should the cross-bar besecured to the inside of the reservoir, as shown, it would be liable tobe sprung out of shape and leak at the line of the union of its twoportions. A

D is a perforated partition, of the form shown in Fig. 7, t-he purposeof which is to preclude the possibility of fire communicating to theinterior and causing explosion, the hole at its center being of adiameter sufciently large to allow the spindle to be freely movedtherein, it being intended not to remove the spindle from the reservoirafter being placed in position.

When the gas is burning it is necessary to turn the screw-nut loosely upfrom its seat in the top of the reservoir, to raise the conical end ofthe spindle and open the passage d, and also to allow of a current ofair to enter the top of the reservoir, to cause the liquid naphtha toflow therefrom.

I will now describe the manner in Whichl am instantly enabled toextinguish the iiame of the burner, and thereby prevent any smokearising therefrom.

E is a branch of the horizontal generatingpipe, screwed into one side ofthejoint or connection G, into the bottom of which is screwed aninverted burner, H, (which forms the subject of one of my previouspatents,) apassage, It, with a conical seat, I., being formed at itstop. This branch E is intended to contain a roll of wire-gauze, for apurpose set forth in the patent above referred to.

Screwed into the opposite side of the connection G is a short pipe, I,upon the outer end of which is screwed a nut, K, Figs. 3 and 4, providedin its interior with a conical seat, m.

L is a circular stem or spindle, of the form shown in Fig. 1,beingproyided at one endwith a conical projection, u, carefully turnedto iit snugly upon the seat l, at the top of the passage proceeding fromthe burner, the opposite end of this spindle being provided with ascrew-thread, 0, of corresponding size as that in the interior of thenut K, through which it projects; and asmall portion of this extremityot' the spindle is flattened, for convenience in applying the fingers orawrench thereto to turn the same. i

Just beyond the inner end of the screwthread on the spindle is formed aconical pro jection, p, carefully made to snugly tit the seat m in theinterior of the nut K.

When the gas is burning the parts are in the position seen in Fig. 3.

When it is desired to extinguish the flame, the attened end of thespindle (projecting outside the nut K) is turned by hand or other- Wiseuntil the cJnical projection u is brought snugly in contact with thesides of the seat l, thus instantly closing the passage 7c to theburner, and cutting oi' the supply of heated gas thereto, and preventingthe production of smoke, which ordinarily arises where thc stop- -cockis placed in the generating-pipe at some thread o, is tightly closedupon its seat m in the nut K, thus preventing leakage of thegas; butwhen thetlame is extinguished this projection p is removed from contactwith the sides of the seat m., as seen in Fig. 2, in which position,however, the gas within the short pipe I cannot escape to the outside,as there is no pressure from within to counteract the pressure of theatmosphere from without.

Immediately on closing the passage k by the conical end of the spindleL, the screw-nut B is turned down to close the top of the reservoir, andthus prevent evaporation.

The screw-nut B being on the top ofthe rcservoir, there is lessliability of the supply being let on accidentally or through thecarelessness of children than Where a stop-cock is placed near thebottom of the pipe leading from the reservoir.

Claims.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A spindle, a, with its conical end b, and screw-thread h, operated bya nut, B, in combination with a reservoir, A, having a Valveseat, c,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Also,.a spindle, L, with its conical projections a and p, andscrew-thread o, operated by a nut, K, provided with a valve-scat, m, incombination with a connection, Gr, having a valve-seat, l, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

DAVID H. LOWE.

Witnesses:

N. W. STEARNS, W. J. CAMBRIDGE.

